Signal device for vehicles



F. c. Is. KNowLEs SIGNAL DIVICE FOR VEHICLES md Nov. 22. 1921 Feb. 231926. v- -1,574,253.

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mounted by means of a suitable bracket 3.

and mounted upon the vbase plate 4 by suit'- able means such as screws 5Patented Feb. 23, 1926.

FREDERICK o. s. iinownns,

.SIGNAL @NICE y g 157e-zar er reservan NEW YQRK- FOR VEHICLES.

Applcatioii'vled November 22, 1321. `Serial No. 517,139.

inaticin operation, effective as a warning signal both day and night,and compact and pleasing in appearance, with incidental simplicity ofconstruction and economy ot man- Other objects and aims of the inventionmore or less broad than those stated above, will appear in the course otthe -loyllowing vdescription .of the elements, combinations,

erred form of embodiment ont the. invention, f

Figure l is a rear elevation of a portion of an automobile, with myimproved signal if mounted on top of the lefti'earmud guard; Fig. 2 is ahorizontal section `ou the line 2-Q ofL Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is a sideelevation partly in section witlitlie parts in a nonsignaling`position.; Fig. 4 is a detailisection on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3; F is asection on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a section on the line yG--Got Fig. Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7 7 ot' Fig. 2, andldig. 8 is aview similar to Fig. lybutwith the signal mounted beneath the mud guardand eX- tending up through it.

4Referring 4to the numerals on the -drawings, l indicates a portion oitthe body of an automobile, and 2 is `the left rear mud guard upon whichmy improved signal is Secured to the bracket V3 isa base plate 4,

isa casing 6 open at thebottom and having a top I7.

Mounted within the `casing 6 and `so dimeiisioned as-tolitgsiiuglyibetweenthe top 7 ot saine andthe. base'plate 4, sothat-there can Vbe no rattling, is a mutilated sheave 8 :tending over a.screw 16.

.parts are in anormal .will ifo-tate .the post t), a

" so shaped, with `respect `faces, as torprovide suliicient space there-Ying upwardly from the post 9.

havinga post9 cast integrally therewith, and adapted Atobe supported invsuitable beariiigsin-ithe base plate 4 and top7 ofthe case Gf' Theposta() is provided with a longitudinal bore l0 extending throughkitsentire length .to accommodate the admission and exit therefromotwires for electrical con iiectons as willbe 'more fully `hereinafterypointed out. v v

The slieave 8 has an :annular groove E1 1 exp portion of its periphery,and cast integrally therewith isa-pin 12 surrounded yby a ,suitablerecess, over which is slipped aloop in `a cable l4. Thepiii 12 alsoserves asa connection .for one end of a spring 15, the other endotwliich'is secured to 4the top 7 of the casing f5 by means oi aThe'parts thus described are so designed as to permit ot' easy assemblyvwithin the casing 6 when ,thelatter isi'nverted.

i\ lug 17 is cast integrally with the top 7 of the Ycasing@ andservesasa stop when the orat rest position, as shown in Figa-'6, 4when ashoulder18 on the sli'eave `8 engages .the 4lugl7, -tliespriiig 15 holding. Vtheshoulder 1S againstlthe lug 17.

rhhefbase.plate 4 is profided Vwith a hole 19 the edges. olwli'ic'h areVrounded and through which the cable 14V passes, and is ieiiibi ings, .tothe brake, pedal lever, oi' able vportion et the vautomobile associatedwith means torsloppiiig same, `whereby the movement ofsaid brake leverwill cause Vthe cable l4to rotate the sheave 8 which `iii turn secondshoulder 20 serving 4to limit such rotation 'by engaging thel lug l?so'that the vsheave andpostwill more substantially 90 degrees`Mountedlon the top of the vpost ,9 and se cured thereto by a screw 2lis a signal arm .Q2-having two members 23 andl 24 secured ltogether bymeans ot the screw Qian/cl another `screw 25.

Between the members ter-tight washer 2G and these members are to theirinner surbetween-to 4mount an electric lamp bulb 27- and channels forconnecting' wires extend- The member 23 is of Kmuch greaterlength thanthat of member 24 so that a space will be provided on its exposed innerfaceas shown in Fig. 3 for a suitable warning, such y connected, lnotshown in the drawother suit-` .23 and 24 is a waas the word Stop whichmay be in raised type and of a different and contrastingfcolor from thatof the general immediate background adjacent the letters. I have foundthat white letters with a bright red background meet the desiredrequirements.

As a further, but subordinate signal, the member 23 is perforated Aas at28 for the purpose of admitting light therethrough, so that anyautomobile approaching from an opposite direction, more particularly atnight and when the rear warning signal is in operation and the Velectriclamp bulb is lighted, will receive an indication that a signal is beingoperated to warn an automobile in the rear of the signal. If desired,these openings may be covered with red 2glass, for more emphatic signaleffect.

Electrical connections are provided so that when the signal arm 22 ismoved to the signaling position, as in Figs. l and 8, the electric liOhtcircuit will be closed and the lamp thus connected will illuminate theextending porticnof the member. 23 and the lettering thereon, the member24 at this time constituting a .shield to provide `indirect lighting andscreen the direct light from the eyes of the driver of the rearautomobile.

An annular flange 29, half of which is on each of the members 23 and 24,provides protection from rain, snow, etc., which will thus bepreventedfrom entering the top of the casing and short circuiting thelamp or otherwise injuring the parts assembled within the casing, thewasher 26 extending to the `bottom of the flange and being shaped tovconform to the conguration of the respective members ofthe signal arm;

The electrical connections Yare'more par-k ticularly shown in Figs. 3, 6and 7, and may, in preferred practice, be connected to the regular taillamp circuit, but forpurposes of illustrationI have shown a battery 3()couiiectedto a day switch 3l, and from thence to one of the lampVterminals. lamp terminal is connected by a wiie passing through bore l0and extending through the side of the post, to a spring contact mountedwithin a recess 33, in the lower face of the sheavc 8 and insulatedtherefrom by a fibre washer Set shaped to conform to the recess 33.

then the sheave 8 is rotated from .its normal position the springContact 32 will immediately engage a lug 35 extending upwardly from thebase plate 4, of which it is integrally a part, and as the kbase plate4e through the bracket 3 and bile a return circuit will be establishedto 'i'he'other grounded side of the battery.

Y ,iVhen the sheave is restored to its normal The other y mud guard 2is` thus grounded to the frame of the automo- In this form of theinvention only the signal arm is visible, the other parts being hiddenbeneath the mud guard.

` Inasmuch as many changes could be made in the above construction, andmany appar ently widely different embodiments of my -invention could bemade without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illust 1ative and not in a limitingsense.

It is also to be understood that the language used in the followingclaims is intended to cover all the generic and specific :features ofthe invention herein described and all statements ofthe scope of theinvention which, as a matter of language, might be said' to falltherel'ietween.

I claiinz' 1. In a device of the kind described, a signal plate, saidplate being recessed at one side thereof, a lamp in the recess forilluminating said plate, a guard plate mounted on saidsignalplate'having a recess-to cooperate with the recess on the signalplate for completely covering said lamp except at the side through whichthe light passes to illuminate vsaid signal plate, and a watertightwasher interposed between the meeting edges of said guard plate andsignal plate. j

2. In a device of the class described, a signal plate., a container,mechanism within said container for operating said signal plate toeffective orvinetiective position, said mechanism including' a shcavehaving a post, said container Ahaving an opening, said post projectingthrough said opening, said signal plate being mounted upon said postabove said opening, said signal plate carrying` a guard for coveringsaid opening.

In a device of the class described, a signal plate, a container,mechanism within said container for operating said signal plate-toeffective and ineffective position, said mechanism including` a sheavehaving a post, said container having an opening, said post projectingthrough said opening, said signal plate-.having a hub whereby it ismounted upon said post, said hub being flanged adjacent said opening toform a guard therefor. i

4. In a device of the kind described, a

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Signal plate, said plate being recessed, a. lmnp for illuminating; saidplate having; one side thereof poitioned Within said receSS at one endof said platte` ay guard plate for the lmnp Secured to the signal plate,Said guard plate having; a complementary recess to cooperate with therecess in the signal pla-te and thereby completely Cover the lamp eX-cept at the side through which Jthe light passesto illuminate saidsignal plate, and 10 means for operating the signal.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature.

FREDERICK e. s. KNOWLES,

